Ingenius Feedback

Ashley, Kieran, Jonathan, Lauren

The question that Ashley asked us to respond to was whether or not we feel that the Internet and loss of personal interaction because of new technology was a good or bad thing. The evolution of language is a natural occurrence. I'm reminded of old English and Shakespeare, the days of saying things like "Isn't that just the bees knees", "Groovy", and even more recently "That's the bomb". Language evolves as the people who speak it evolve and it's not a bad thing. It reflects the era we live in, the struggles we live through, and the hip lingo we used during those times. As I was thinking about how language changes and methods of communication change it kind of makes me feel creepy to think that the things I say now and the lifestyle I lead now will someday be ridiculous to future generations. I think that novels and short stories are the ways in which we kind of leave our place in stone. All the previous ways generations spoke, and thought are kept and it's up to each individual if they choose to remember and reflect or completely forget.

Isabelle, Adam, Kate, Graham
With this presentation I completly disagreed with Kate and Adam. The interesting aspect of The Innocent Traveller is the fact that it is so true to life. In real life robots don't attck the city, we don't travel through time or space, and average people don't become the president of the United States. People instead live through family deaths, experience love in any of its many forms, and meet new challenges of discrimination or indifference. The thing that was most interesting about this novel is that it didn't do all the thinking for you. It gave you an event and a most simplistic reaction then gave you the leeway to either take it as is, or run with the feelings, reasons, and consequences that you could imagine. A lot of the things Graham said really surprised and inpressed me. The fact that he had originally written a blog aganst the premise of The Innocent Traveller and then critiqued it from another point of view with quite insightful perspectives was, lets face it, pretty awesome.

Fahad, Nathan, Brazil, Francesca

Nathan said that the events in the novel Hey Nostradamos were too far-fetched and hard to realte to. I would have to disagree. When I read about the shooting in their school the first thing that came to my mind was Columbine. That was a real event, right? It was completly unexpected, shocking, horrible, and uncomprehensible. Life is way to unpredictable to say that anything is out of the ordinary. It may not have been forseen but nothing in life really is.

Sydney Boucher

Presentation Responses

Fahad, Nathan, Brazil, Francesca
In regards to Nathan's response about Hey Nostradamus! being too dramatic and too far-fetched, I would have to say that I disagree. He said the events of the book were "too crazy for real life" but isn't life crazy sometimes? I think that the possibility of those events happening is very high. It may all seem coincidental and ironic but life itself is ironic. I think anything can happen and the events of the book, to me, is very plausible. I also liked the ending because it leaves you wondering about what happened and that is exactly how life is; you never know what is going to happen tomorrow. And I agreed with Franchesca about not thinking the four characters in the book are in relation with Limbo, Hell, Heaven, and Purgatory. I, like her, didn't see any relevance between the two.

Isabelle, Adam, Kate, Graham
I didn't think the Innocent Traveller was that bad of a book. To me, even though there wasn't anything dramatic happening, the little things that happened to Topaz accumulated and even though it wasn't the most exciting read, I still enjoyed it. I used to think that because she is not affected by anything and that she is always happy means she doesn't truly experience things. How can she know what true happiness is but she never experienced sorrow? However, after a tutorial discussion my point of view changed. Now I think that even though she was never really sad, at that moment, she felt happiness and there is no doubt about that. As long as she was happy at that moment, then that is all that matters and who are we to say that she isn't experiencing life fully?

Ashley, Kieran, Jonathan, Lauren
Ironically, what Ashley and Lauren said about technology was almost exactly what I wrote about in my 500 word blog response. The" lol", the slang, the morphing of the language were all the topics I've covered in my blog. I also found it interesting that this group related The Jade Peony to technology because I actually own a copy of that book and I loved it but I never thought about it in that way before. I thought this presentation gave me some insight on the different meanings of the book.

-Cindy Chu

Presentation Responses II

Ashley, Kieran, Jonathan, Lauren
When Ashley mentioned about the “face-to-face communication is decreasing because of the increased use of online communication” is considered a negative effect of technology. I think this point depends on which angle you are looking at. I personally think that less face-to-face interaction is not a “bad” thing because online communication seems to create a boarder/protector for some of the younger children. There are many strangers out there who are seeking for chances in order to take advantage of the innocent children through cyberspace. However, those kids can choose to not meet with them, and prefer to chat with those strangers online only. So, I think the point of less face-to-face communication is a negative effect for technology is not necessary a negative effect.

Isabelle, Adam, Kate, Graham
I was shock when two of the members in your group dislike this novel and gave a powerful presentation of how much you two hated “The Innocent Traveller”. I enjoy reading this novel and I learned a lot from it; for example, when Mrs. Porter was able to live on after her husband left her, it reminded me of how powerful a woman can be. This novel not only gave me confidence in myself, but also allowed me to see woman in a different point of view. I think a novel does not necessary have to have a something huge to happen in order to emphasize the meaning of literature. Sometimes, even with a small event that happens in the novel is enough to evoke the reader. I certainly do not agree with the “100 years = nothing happens” because I can see how hard it is for Topaz to keep up with her optimism through out her whole life. Do you think it is really that easy to be happy everyday and not care about anything else?

Fahad, Nathan, Brazil, Francesca
I have thought of irony when I first read “Hey Nostradamus!” because it was obvious that Cheryl was killed in the massacre on the only day that she went to the cafeteria. Many stories use irony for purpose; for example, create a conflict or a huge event. I cannot relate myself to this novel because I cannot adapt myself into the characters. I cannot imagine what I will do and how I will handle it if the massacre happens to me. I also agree with Nathan about how he thought of Reg because I felt the same way, too!

Presentation Responses

Ashley, Kieran, Jonathan, Lauren
I don't think technology has changed our society's written language today. The art of reading and writing fiction is still strong. The whole class of English101 is living proof of it. Though some of us are forced to read the course novels in order to pass the course, there are still many of us who read for pleasure because we want to. I think technology has definately had a positive effect on our society, but has no effect on written language because, as you guys mentioned, it's up to the individual to do what they want, or not want, with fiction.

Isabelle, Adam, Kate, Graham
What stood out to me the most from your presentation was this formula: Innocent Traveller = 245 pages = 100 years = nothing happens. In the beginning of the story I was, just like the rest of us, waiting for something HUGE to happen. As concluded by just about everyone, nothing did happen. Many events occured but they were small, unimportant things of Topaz's life. As for the flashbacks that come out of no where, maybe that's how Wilson wanted to show this novel was a diary, composed of many small incidents in one's life.

Fahad, Nathan, Brazil, Francesca
Throughout the whole novel I never thought of irony once. It never occured to me that so many different types of irony existed in Hey Nostradamus! until we were lectured on it. But I do see how you would think it's overplayed in this story. It's as if it were straight out of a movie.

Technology Overload

With technology rapidly expanding these days, it is not uncommon that some of us get caught up in its glory—the internet, instant messaging, e-mail, cell phones, etc. All these technological advances aid us in communicating with each other more easily. It brings everyone closer together globally as an instant message sent on msn from Canada can be received within seconds in Australia. Text-messaging, instant messaging and e-mailing all enable those who are shy in front of people to express their thoughts more at ease. Sometimes it brings out the passion in even the most introverted. As everything is expanded to include the internet, our reliance on it becomes stronger. More and more companies are starting to set up websites for its customers—information is now only a click away. The convenience the internet brings upon us is immense and almost everything can be accessed with it. We can now even read the newspaper and check the weather online. When the internet is able to provide so much for us, reading a book can seem obsolete. This is because we can now even download prints off the internet. Why go through the hassle of going to the bookstore or library when all we need to do is perch in front of our computers? This convenience actually decreases human interaction as more and more things are being replaced by machines. This internet hype is so popular that it even has its own language. As we begin to type more and more, words are shorten into abbreviations and have now become our way of communicating through msn via the internet or text messaging with our cell phones. Words are also created to express emotions as it is impossible to know what the other person's expression is by reading what they typed. As a result the amount of instant messaging and text messaging jargon is immense. An example of one is the infamous lol (laugh out loud). This "term" is used to express laughter or when we think something being typed by the other person is funny. However, this expression has been so over-used that it is starting to lose its meaning as a lot of the time we are not laughing or smiling whilst typing this abbreviation. Not only abbreviations are created with this e-media era, the spelling of English words is also becoming warped, creating the long list of slang we have now. I am not sure is this beneficial for the development of language or not since it is possible that this usage of slang can be used to create new words. A prime example of this is the word "bootylicious", most famously used by Destiny's Child in one of their songs and often said to be coined by Beyonce Knowles, a member of the group. This word which is meant to describe women with large, nice, sexy, buttocks is now in the Oxford Dictionary. Also, I think with this e-media frenzy, the book is more neglected then it was ten years back. I remember actually signing out books to do research when I was in elementary school. That is now rare thanks to the thousands of comprehensive databases made available for this specific purpose. However, I still enjoy reading off a book rather than on the computer screen. Something about the feeling of the paper and physically turning the pages still has its appeal to me. Personally, there is nothing more relaxing than to sit at home on a rainy day with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate or tea. I don't think the book is dead as many people still enjoy reading it, but with the internet expanding and almost dominating our lives, who knows, maybe in another ten years we will all be hooked up to mini laptops and reading literature off that.

-Cindy Chu

close-mindedness

I would not consider myself close-minded. The definition of being close-minded is being intolerant of beliefs and opinions of others and not accepting new ideas. Also, according to Professor Ogden, close-minded is being sceptical and arrogant with an alienating attitude. I am not religious and don’t believe in God, but that does not make me close-minded. I accept the fact that others believe so strongly in religion because they can relate to it and feel safe and at home with God. That is why they pray, to feel a strong connection to a higher power. Reading Douglas Coupland’s Hey Nostradamus! to William Gibson’s All Tomorrow’s Parties right after was a big change. The elements within the two novels are so different because religion and God is what makes up Hey Nostradmus! and so far with what I’ve read, All Tomorrow’s Parties has no reference to God at all. That novel is built of technology.

I am not against religion but I can’t associate myself with it or anything else that has to do with it. I have been to church and I enter with an open mind and leave with an open mind. Feeling indifference does not give me a closed mind but just provides me with more knowledge about life. It is amazing to know that some people find religion so comforting and how some find even reading it very uncomfortable. In a way, you can believe in God and be close-minded or not believe in God and also be close-minded. Religion can leave people close-minded because they are directed to believe in such a shallow depth of field: "Everything happens because of God. He is supposed to save everyone". God did not create the world. Someone can believe in God and not accept same-sex marriages. They could believe that only a man and woman should marry and that is the way it should be, but we are not perfect. If anyone would decide to go through with a same-sex marriage I would applaud them for being so courageous, despite how wrong others think it is. I accept this because happiness and love should come before anything else. It does not matter how old you are or what gender you are.

President George Bush is a great example of someone who is close-minded. Though I do not know all the details, his mind is so set on continuing the war and leading his country through all the pain and suffering. Lost sons and husbands should be a direct wake-up call for him to stop but all he can talk about are "weapons of mass destruction". He will not accept any new ideas, he is just driven to continue fighting. Until Bush literally fights in Iraq, he should have an open-mind going through this.

On the other hand, Canada is an open-minded country because of how the government accepts that a man and another man can fall in love or how two women can love each other. It is a free country and people should be allowed to marry who they love.

Brainwashed?

Last night I went to the St. Louis Blues versus the Vancouver Canucks hockey game. I came out of the game extremely over-stimulated and still dancing a little from the Canucks win. As I was walking down the stairs of GM Place with what seemed like a permanent smile plastered on my face, the smile slowly turns upside-down and I notice a good ten homeless people out front of the building. They were waiting on the drunk, rowdy Canuck fans who most likely purchased something or another that night and would have change to drop into their hats. This may not seem like a very significant moment in time because of the growing number of homeless people in Vancouver, but I had the realization that these men are actually quite smart. One homeless person had the wise idea that a lot of the people coming out of GM Place would be in possession of some pesky change, so others followed in the hopes for some as well. This situation reminded me of education. Are any of the ideas we come up with in university individual and unique to our own thought processes and innovation, or are they simply ideas that belong to others? When listening to Professor Ogden I think that I am independently thinking and that ideas I take away from class are my own. However, those ideas had to be sparked and prodded and were a lead off from what he has either implicitly or explicitly pointed out to me. Without anyone else are we truly intelligent? I think that was why Professor Ogden was stressing the importance of belief and doubt. It’s important to have belief in something in life, but if you do not doubt it and question it, how solid of a belief could it truly be. The extreme of what is brought up is probably categorised as brainwashing. Brainwashing is a belief inflicted upon someone that has no critical thought or argumentative doubt behind it. Independent thought is very far and few between today because of the overwhelming influences and teaching that is inflicted upon us. This blog is probably a by-product of something I have read, heard, or been told previous to today. That is what makes doubt and critical questioning so important. Questioning what you believe in only helps to solidify it. It’s like when we write essays. You have to write a counterargument to your argument and then prove that false. Covering all misconceptions and wavering thoughts helps only to make your belief stronger or to start again and re-think your initial conception.
To be aware of ignorance can help to overcome it.

Sydney Boucher